With vice chairwoman Terry Krassner at the helm, because chairwoman Peggy O'Shea was out of town, the School Board unanimously approved a proposed rate of $7.32 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. That's lower than last year's rate of $7.77, but school district revenues — and many tax bills — will grow because of a 7.4 percent increase in taxable property values. The new rate would bring in $4.3 million more in revenue to a district budget that will total $1.5 billion.

They also approved a $19.3 million campus for Melrose Elementary, a $18 million rebuilding and renovation for Pinellas Park Middle and a $11.2 million future home of Career Academies of Seminole Technical High, which is expected to open in 2017.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.